Eminem, Wembley Stadium - music review: 'Eminem was derailed by his slapdash, cheapskate contempt for his audience'

London belonged to Eminem this weekend. Two Wembley Stadium dates confirmed that the finest rapper of all time is also the most enduringly popular. It was though a disheartening triumph.

London belonged to Eminem this weekend. Two Wembley Stadium dates confirmed that the finest rapper of all time is also the most enduringly popular. It was, though, a disheartening triumph.

The 41-year-old embraced British culture by dressing like Lee Nelson and swearing a lot. He preened like a boxer: ducking here, diving there and delivering everything on his toes, even snippets of Buffalo Gals.

Ultimately, though, the first rapper to headline Wembley Stadium was derailed by his slapdash, cheapskate contempt for his audience. A blistering White America and the spine-tingling finale, Lose Yourself, were glimpses of what might have been but the damage was done long before an underwhelming four-song cameo from Eminem’s reclusive mentor and collaborator, Dr Dre.

Read more about Eminem

Eminem’s self-lacerating lyrical wizardry, his wit and his remarkable capacity to move heart and mind were wholly lost in an unforgivably sludgy mix, as his berkish sidekick Mr Porter dumbed everything down into embarrassing “wave your hands in the air” schlock.

The stage set was breathtaking, albeit only regarding how little money, imagination and effort had been deployed. At Wembley Arena, it would have been shabby, under-sized and weakly lit; at Wembley Stadium it was the equivalent of a fuzzy television in the corner of your living room. And with the soul-sapping inevitability of one seemingly determined to betray his once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-genre talent, Eminem tossed off much of his finest work in couldn’t-care-less medleys.